AMD Has Qualified Tokyo Electron Ltd. Inc. Unity DRM As the Process Tool of Record for Their CoSi/Local Interconnect Process.

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 11, 1999--

AMD's Fab 25 has adopted the Tokyo Electron Ltd. Inc. ("TEL") Unity DRM as its preferred oxide etcher for its critical local interconnect application involving Cobalt Silicide (CoSi).

AMD has migrated to CoSi from Titanium Silicide (TiSi) for smaller gate designs. This migration allowed AMD to continue to push the speed of its microprocessors. TEL's Unity DRM oxide etcher's unmatched CoSi process performance allowed AMD to rapidly implement this process into high volume production of their 0.25 u m technology.

Some of the key features of the DRM's CoSi process are high selectivity to CoSi, tight critical dimension (CD) control, reduced consumables cost and a robust endpoint system.

John Behnke, AMD Fab 25 Etch Module Manager, said, "An unprecedented level of cooperation with TEL resulted in a robust reactor design that has allowed us to achieve rapid deployment of a highly stable process for our critical local interconnect layer into high volume manufacturing."

"AMD chose the Unity DRM oxide etcher for its strategic local interconnect (LI) process because of its suitability for high volume manufacturing, superior critical dimension (CD) control, highly selective process and precise chamber matching. Uptime, MTBC, and chamber to chamber matching are excellent, -- The TEL oxide etchers are a great success story," said Randy Blair, AMD Fab 25 Director.

Alan Nolet, Tokyo Electron America Senior Vice President, said, "We are pleased to be working alongside AMD. In addition, we are delighted to hear that AMD recognizes the Unity DRM as an enabling technology for their critical dielectric etch applications."

TEL has demonstrated the DRM's process extendibility for other selective etch applications and small feature sizes to 0.07 u m in its applications lab. Its damascene etch capabilities have been demonstrated for oxide, as well as the full gamut of low-k materials from spin-on to CVD low-k materials.

Over the last 10 years, TEL has emerged as the world's leading supplier of oxide etching systems. TEL is recognized as the leader in advanced dielectric etch tools for manufacturing DRAM, MPU and Logic devices. TEL's dielectric etch leadership has been demonstrated by maintaining the highest market share in dielectric etch products and increasing it to nearly 50% of the total dielectric plasma etch market.

About TEL

Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL), established in 1963 and based in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading supplier of semiconductor production and electronic equipment worldwide, with revenues in excess of 2.6 billion dollars. TEL is a publicly held company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Tokyo Electron America (TEA), a subsidiary of TEL, is headquartered in Austin, Texas. TEA provides sales and service for TEL products from fifteen offices across the United States. Products include: Clean Track, Diffusion, Test, Etch, Cleaning Systems, Single Wafer Deposition and Metal PVD. TEL has further invested in the North American market by manufacturing products in Massachusetts (TEM), Texas (TEX), Oregon (TEO) and Arizona (TAZ).

NOTE TO EDITORS: The mathematical symbol "mu" appears between the number "0.25" and "m," and between the number "0.07" and "m". It was replaced with "u" for transmission purposes only.